Ekkelenkamp's dream debut inspire Hertha comeback
Hertha Berlin new signing Jurgen Ekkelenkamp had a dream Bundesliga debut on Saturday (AEST), coming off the bench to inspire a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Greuther Fürth.
Furth was without a win this season but made a bright start in the German capital, with Jetro Willems firing off the first shot of the game inside two minutes.
The visitors battled well in midfield, albeit without seriously threatening Hertha in the final third, and it was the host which should have taken the lead on 17 minutes when Suat Serdar, who scored a brace in the victory over Bochum last week, skipped past a couple of challenges before firing wide from 16 yards.
That was the clearest opening of the first 45 minutes, although Myziane Maolida also had a glimpse of goal at the back post from Deyovaisio Zeefuik’s teasing right-wing cross shortly before the break.
Willems had the first effort of the second half when the Hertha defence backed off him as he approached the area, but the Dutchman snatched at his shot with his weaker right foot and it sailed harmlessly over.
Furth did manage to take the lead though, doing so for the first time this season, when Branimir Hrgota converted from the penalty spot after Zeefuik had brought down Jeremy Dudziak.
Hertha coach Pal Dardai responded by bringing on Ekkelenkamp for his league debut and the move paid off instantly when the midfielder headed in the equaliser from Marvin Dardai’s corner moments after coming on to the pitch.
Hertha sensed blood and pushed for a winner, with substitute Marco Richter volleying over before providing an inch-perfect cross into the middle looking for Ekkelenkamp, whose pressure forced Furth defender Maximilian Bauer into conceding an own goal that sealed Hertha's second win of the season and dragged it out of the bottom three.
